Cycling is great for your health
We could all do with doing a bit more exercise, especially those of us who work at a desk. You wake up in the morning, sit in your car driving to work, sit at your desk all day, then get back in your car to drive home, only to spend the evening sat on the sofa. Does that sound familiar? Trying to get a bit more activity into your day is good news for your health. And cycling is a great way to stay active.
For one thing, cycling is simple way to get your body moving, your blood pumping and your lungs working. It helps strengthen your muscles, keeps your supple and helps keep your heart strong. You can ride at your own pace and enjoy a bit of gentle exercise every day. Or, you can imagine you’re riding the Tour de France and work up a good sweat on a more vigorous ride! Either way, you’re helping to reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes and more.
Low impact means less stress on your joints
The one big advantage that cycling has over other forms of exercise is that it’s low impact. This is great news is you live with joint or back pain. You can take to two wheels knowing that the gentle elliptical movement of your feet on the pedals is not going to stress your joints.
Pretty well anyone can ride a bike – young or old. If you’ve got an old bike lying around in your shed or garage, it won’t take much to get it rideable. That said, if it’s been out of action for a fair few years, or been sat somewhere dusty for a while, it’s a good idea to get it down to your local bike shop. Any decent bike shop will be able to give it a service, to get it roadworthy again. A basic service usually costs around £45. Some bike shops will throw in free brake pads, or cables in that price, too. If your tyres are worn out, you’ll have to buy a new pair. This won’t be cheap but will undoubtedly cost less than buying a new bike.
Why it’s good to buy a bike from your local bike dealer
If you are in the market for a bike, again try your local bike shop first. Bikes falls into 3 categories: mountain bikes for off-road trail riding, road bikes designed for speed on flat surfaces, and hybrids which are a bit of a mix of the two. Not only will your local bike shop be able to recommend a bike to you, but they’ll also usually throw in a free first service too. This is where they readjust and tighten things up a couple of weeks after you’ve started riding. It gives you time to get used to the bike and the bike to get used to you.
4 essentials that every cyclist needs
You can spend all sorts of money on cycling accessories. But really, there are only 4 absolutely must-haves that every cyclist should invest in. The first is a helmet, which will potentially save your life if you’re unlucky enough to fall off your bike one day. The second is a waterproof jacket – preferably Hi-Viz – which is common sense when cycling in the British weather. If you’re cycling in autumn, winter or any time after the sun’s gone down, then you need lights, as well. And finally, you should get a good luck. Bicycles are very easy to steal and sadly people do steal them. A good luck helps slow down or deter a potential thief.
For smarter bike storage, it’s got to be the Thane Bike Nook
If you’ve not got much space to store a bike, either in your home or garage, don’t worry. We have got a simple and affordable solution. It’s called the Thane Bike Nook. It cleverly locks your bike into place in a ‘handstand’ position. This means you can keep your bike indoors, knowing it won’t scratch the walls, doors or ceilings. Plus, it’ll save you roughly 3½ feet of floor space, wherever you decide to store your bike.
To find out more about the ingenious bike storage solution, Bike Nook, go here.